Fare dodging at Reading - appeal advice

[Mrfares13]

I tailgated at reading station by going through with someone, I was then caught by cross country staff was then fined £50, as its my first offence and I'm only 16 I'm wondering if it's worth trying to appeal the fine??

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Sep 2025 ==

I tailgated at reading station by going through with someone, I was then caught by cross country staff was then fined £50, as its my first offence and I'm only 16 I'm wondering if it's worth trying to appeal the fine??

It was tfl staff*

 

[Egg Centric]

Very likely no, but you can upload all documents here for us to look at just in case. Certainly being 16 and it your only offence is not a good reason. Had you been an adult this would more likely than not have ended in court and a criminal record if it were TfL staff.

 

[Mrfares13]

What reasons would there be for to be able to submit an appeal? And if i apologised would they be likely to appeal that?

 

[Egg Centric]

What reasons would there be for to be able to submit an appeal? And if i apologised would they be likely to appeal that?

We don't know as we don't know what the nature of the "fine" is - we'd need to see the paperwork.

You will find as you get older that apologies are no longer the magical get out of jail free card they were when you were still a child.

 

[MotCO]

If it was TfL staff, they tend to prefer the prosecution route rather than out of Court settlements. £50 would seem to be a good outcome, but please upload your documents.

 

[AlterEgo]

If it was TfL staff, they tend to prefer the prosecution route rather than out of Court settlements. £50 would seem to be a good outcome, but please upload your documents.

TfL do not normally prosecute children.

 

[Mrfares13]

If it was TfL staff, they tend to prefer the prosecution route rather than out of Court settlements. £50 would seem to be a good outcome, but please upload your documents.

TfL do not normally prosecute children.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Sep 2025 ==

What do people mean by documents?
So far all I've received was my penalty fare receipt

If it was TfL staff, they tend to prefer the prosecution route rather than out of Court settlements. £50 would seem to be a good outcome, but please upload your documents.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

If it was TfL staff, they tend to prefer the prosecution route rather than out of Court settlements. £50 would seem to be a good outcome, but please upload your documents.

TfL do not normally prosecute children.

But this isn't a prosecution: it appears to be a penalty fare or something similar issued on the spot.

So I doubt if an appeal saying 'I am under 18' will work. And at the risk of being overly judgemental, I don't see anything which would lead to a successful appeal: you did something wrong, and you have received a punishment for doing so. That's what happens, and the way to avoid further punishments is not to do things that are wrong.

(Edited for clarity)

 

[Titfield]

Please upload the penalty fare receipt with your name and any other identifying details eg reference number obscured.

Forum members ask to see the actual document because:
a) many people seeking advice do not know the difference between an Unpaid Fare Notice, Penalty Fare or an MG11 Witness Statement used in investigating fare irregularities. Forum members need to know what it was and what it says so the correct advice can be given.
b) there may be a technical defect with a penalty fare notice which gives grounds for a successful appeal.

 

[Mrfares13]

Here it is

 

[dosxuk]

I tailgated at reading station by going through with someone, I was then caught by cross country staff was then fined £50, as its my first offence and I'm only 16 I'm wondering if it's worth trying to appeal the fine??

Why would you appeal the fine? You were caught breaking the rules and subsequently had a penalty applied - what good reason is there for you to have that penalty cancelled?

 

[MotCO]

Here it is

The immediate thing that strikes me is that it says "Boarded at Reading, Issued at Reading, Destination is Reading". Two out of three may be correct, but not all three, unless the OP decided not to travel anywhere.

 

[Egg Centric]

Here it is

At the Forest game?

I'd be mostly wondering if there is a CTA at Reading and whether "a compulsory ticket zone" counts as one (I suspect the answers to both questions are "yes", but this stuff can get very pedantic).

 

[Mrfares13]

At the Forest game?

I'd be mostly wondering if there is a CTA at Reading and whether "a compulsory ticket zone" counts as one (I suspect the answers to both questions are "yes", but this stuff can get very pedantic).

At the Forest game?

I'd be mostly wondering if there is a CTA at Reading and whether "a compulsory ticket zone" counts as one (I suspect the answers to both questions are "yes", but this stuff can get very pedantic).

Nope barnsley haha
Do you reckon I'll have a chance writing an appeal and if so what should I mention specifically? Thanks for all the help by the way

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Sep 2025 ==

The immediate thing that strikes me is that it says "Boarded at Reading, Issued at Reading, Destination is Reading". Two out of three may be correct, but not all three, unless the OP decided not to travel anywhere.

Is there anyway I can use this for an appeal?? Thanks for all the help btw

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Sep 2025 ==

Why would you appeal the fine? You were caught breaking the rules and subsequently had a penalty applied - what good reason is there for you to have that penalty cancelled?

If i had even a 5% chance to get back my money, I would take it

 

[Egg Centric]

Do you reckon I'll have a chance writing an appeal and if so what should I mention specifically? Thanks for all the help by the way

If i had even a 5% chance to get back my money, I would take it

There's always a chance - the review assessors are often incompetent and you get three bites of the pie! So in that sense yes there is a chance.

As for whether you "should" - I don't think the 'zone/area' thing I mentioned or Readingx3 thing @MotCO have anything in them. OTOH I have no idea if Reading has a compulsory fare area or not (this is not the same thing as whether it has barriers - it has a fairly technical definition). Perhaps someone else will answer. If it doesn't then you will absolutely have a valid appeal.

 

[gray1404]

Where to stopped at the ticket barrier, on the platform or on the train?

Was the penalty fare issued on the station or on the train before it left?

 

[Mrfares13]

Where to stopped at the ticket barrier, on the platform or on the train?

Was the penalty fare issued on the station or on the train before it left?

on the station

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Sep 2025 ==

There's always a chance - the review assessors are often incompetent and you get three bites of the pie! So in that sense yes there is a chance.

As for whether you "should" - I don't think the 'zone/area' thing I mentioned or Readingx3 thing @MotCO have anything in them. OTOH I have no idea if Reading has a compulsory fare area or not (this is not the same thing as whether it has barriers - it has a fairly technical definition). Perhaps someone else will answer. If it doesn't then you will absolutely have a valid appeal.

yup thank you so much for your help, now that im home i can add a few details too. at the time of the incident i was under the impression that because i was traveling with a member of staff i was entitled to free travel (very stupid but i assumed that from things i heard and saw) after i entered with him i was approached by tfl staff. they then gave me my pfa. on the pfa it stated that i had boarded a train at reading, however at the time i received this notice, i had not yet boarded a train making the pfa inaccurate. i am also a semi-regular traveller and have not received a fine in my many years of travel. do you think these points stand a chance against the pfa?? again, thanks so much for your help.

 

[Egg Centric]

at the time of the incident i was under the impression that because i was traveling with a member of staff i was entitled to free travel

Sorry what? Can you expand on this

 

[Fawkes Cat]

at the time of the incident i was under the impression that because i was traveling with a member of staff i was entitled to free travel

Sorry what? Can you expand on this

It reads to me that the OP was travelling with someone with staff travel facilities: that someone didn't have to pay, and OP assumed that meant they didn't have to pay either.

As the OP says, they now realise they were mistaken in that view: I would add (in case they don't already know) that the railways take misuse of staff travel facilities very seriously and staff have been known to be sacked for it. So if whoever they were travelling with was involved in the incident in any way at all, then they probably ought to talk to their union rep urgently before they are called in for a meeting with their manager.

 

[Falcon1200]

the railways take misuse of staff travel facilities very seriously and staff have been known to be sacked for it.

And if an appeal is submitted might further investigation reveal more about the incident than the railway knows so far, to the possible detriment of the staff member?

 

[Titfield]

And if an appeal is submitted might further investigation reveal more about the incident than the railway knows so far, to the possible detriment of the staff member?

Yes quite possibly because staff members travelling "on a priv ticket" should not by act or omission allow someone travelling with them to do so without a valid ticket.

It would make them look complicit in the commission of the offence.

 

[RPI]

If the member of staff let you through the gates then personally, I'd pay this to make it go away before more digging is done, drawing attention may well drop them in the preverbial.

 

[Mrmt]

I think as soon as staff card abuse comes you have to just pay the fine at reduced rate. If that is your appeal, they will ask for the name, that will be passed to Rail Staff Travel and they will write to the company to investigate with the risk of their passes taken off them and any action his company take. This is not worth getting into at all for your friend. They would or should tell you the same

 

[Mrfares13]

It reads to me that the OP was travelling with someone with staff travel facilities: that someone didn't have to pay, and OP assumed that meant they didn't have to pay either.

As the OP says, they now realise they were mistaken in that view: I would add (in case they don't already know) that the railways take misuse of staff travel facilities very seriously and staff have been known to be sacked for it. So if whoever they were travelling with was involved in the incident in any way at all, then they probably ought to talk to their union rep urgently before they are called in for a meeting with their manager.

Ok, what if I don't mention the part with me travelling with a staff member and only mention the fact my pfa says I boarded a train, do I still have a chance because I absolutely do not want to punish a mate for something I did

 

[MarlowDonkey]

only mention the fact my pfa says I boarded a train,

I don't think it says that, rather it says that you entered a Compulsory Ticket Zone. In other words you went through the barriers without a ticket.

 

[AlterEgo]

Ok, what if I don't mention the part with me travelling with a staff member and only mention the fact my pfa says I boarded a train, do I still have a chance because I absolutely do not want to punish a mate for something I did

I don't think you should be appealing anything. If this ever goes further, your friend could lose their job. Get the £50 between you and pay it. Your friend is an idiot.

 

[Mrfares13]

I don't think you should be appealing anything. If this ever goes further, your friend could lose their job. Get the £50 between you and pay it. Your friend is an idiot.

Yeah ok I'll pay it now, thanks for the help

 

[WesternLancer]

Yeah ok I'll pay it now, thanks for the help

Yes £50 to make this go away is a bargain given if things went wrong for your friend.

 

[furlong]

Exactly what journey were you intending to make?
Which company's trains were you going to use? (Or what time, which platform etc. if you aren't sure.)
Precisely where at Reading station did this happen? There are 3 gatelines - which one was it?

 

[Mrfares13]

Exactly what journey were you intending to make?
Which company's trains were you going to use? (Or what time, which platform etc. if you aren't sure.)
Precisely where at Reading station did this happen? There are 3 gatelines - which one was it?

reading-birmingham
crosscountry
the gatelines near the construction site